Protecting You
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: He was always in harm's way while protecting her. This time, she returns the favor; but at what cost?


**I thought I'd stop writing SakuRan fics after By Your Side, but somewhere along the way, I got re-obsessed and then this happened X3 Fluff warning. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles.**

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Protecting You

Sakura waited patiently outside the cave Syaoran and his team were excavating.

She had not seen him much recently and intended to give him a pleasant surprise.

The sun over Clow Country was as hot as ever and she pulled the hood of her white and pink cape up over her head to keep cool. Leaning back against the cold stone, she closed her eyes and waited until she heard the echoes of footsteps approaching from inside and she quickly woke herself up again. Several, tall, strongly built men padded with dirt exited the cave without noticing her, talking and laughing in deep tones amongst themselves.

The princess waited patiently until she heard the last pair of footsteps, lighter and more familiar than all the others. She gathered herself like a cat preparing to launch an attack on its prey and the second Syaoran appeared before her, she jumped forward, her hood flying off against her speed.

"Syao-ran!" she sang happily, taking the startled boy by surprise.

"S-Sakura Hime?" he gaped as she threw her arms around his neck. He got a sense of déjà vu as the two of them fell to the ground with Sakura on top: he often got this kind of greeting from her, he just could never expect when it was coming. "H-Hime!" he cried again. "Please d-don't. I'm covered in dirt."

"What? I'm not listening because my name isn't 'Sakura _Hime_'." She feigned ignorance with a playful smirk.

"Right." He sighed.

"I haven't seen you in a while." She murmured a bit dejectedly and the boy automatically raked his brain for something to say to make her feel better. But before he had the chance to, the girl on his chest spoke again. "I've missed you…" her words were quiet, lighter than the breath that she spoke them on. Her embrace around his neck tightened a little.

"I've missed you too." He confessed with a smile, wrapping his strong arms around her fragile body.

A moment passed before Sakura remembered just what was going on.

"I-I'm sorry! I must be heavy." Her words sounded _so _very familiar that Syaoran nearly forgot what happened next in this scene.

She tried to push herself off of him, but the fact that he still had his arms around her slipped her mind. As she tried to jump up, his arms pulled her back down and both their weights shifted to one side as they tumbled over, switching their positions. Sakura squeaked as Syaoran fell on top of her and he immediately pushed himself up to look down at her.

"M-My deepest apologizes, Hime!" He fretted. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, no!" she giggled. "Just a bit surprised is all." She reassured him.

"That's good." Syaoran sighed in relief before realizing that their faces were only centimeters apart. He could hear her nervous breath as it hitched in her throat as the realization hit her as well. "Ah! S-S-Sorry!" he scrambled to his feet and looked around in embarrassment, thankful that no one else had been around to see such a scene.

He offered the princess his hand which she coyly accepted and he pulled her to her feet. "S-So why are you here, Hime?" he wondered, fighting off the blush her felt coming on. But Sakura raised her chin and turned her head away with a small 'humph!' and Syaoran blinked at her in confusion. _Oh no! She's not mad at me, is she?_ His mind swirled in dismay.

"I don't know who you're talking to." She huffed, and as the meaning of her actions made sense to him, the boy smiled a little.

"Sorry. What brings you here, Sakura?" he tried again and this time she turned back to him with delight sparkling in her jade irises.

"There, that's better!" she beamed. "And as for that…I just…wanted to see you again. That is, if you have the time…" Her voice trailed off and dissipated into the atmosphere.

"Sakura, I _always _have time for you." He promised. "And even if I didn't somehow, I'd _make_ time." A bashful smile graced her lips. "But please," he went on. "Let me go home and freshen up first-"

"Nope!" she cut him off quickly, wrapped both of her arms around one of his and started pulling him along after her. "I like Syaoran as he is!"

"But Hime-" She glared at him. "S-Sakura. My clothes are dirty and I smell bad." He protested, yet his feet followed her as she tugged him along.

"Well if Syaoran's dirty, then I want to be dirty too!" she pouted stubbornly. "And I don't think you smell bad at all." She drew nearer to him and stopped walking, taking a deep intake of breath and letting his scent fill her lungs. He smelt of earth, stone, fresh soil, grass and a hint of water, all mixed in with the underlying unnamable scent of his person.

Sakura exhaled loudly before her jade eyes found his amber ones. "I think Syaoran smells lovely." She decided. He opened his mouth to try and persuade her further, but then closed it again and just gave up, knowing there would be no changing her mind at this point. So he nodded once and her face brightened happily before she began pulling him along again.

She led him away from town, not too far, but just far enough where no one would bother them. Their feet padded silently across the sand until they came upon a small mountain of rocks. Sakura led the way up, and even though she cleared it in only a few small steps, Syaoran watched her as anxiously as though she were about to leap a canyon. He stepped up beside her onto the long, flat surface that gave them a wonderful view of the distant desert before them and Clow Country behind them. A single tree blocked out the sun's harsh rays from assaulting the two as they sat down together.

"Syaoran, you look tired." Sakura fretted. "Have you been eating properly and getting enough sleep?"

"Yes. Thank you for worrying about me." He grinned. But Sakura was unconvinced by his answer and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Neh, Syaoran?"

"What is it, Sakura?" he made sure he got it right this time.

"If…If I asked you to do something, would you?" her voice was small and trembled ever so slightly.

"Faster than your heart could beat once." He vowed his amber eyes hard with determination. "Just say the word."

"Then…" she raised one hand to her chest in that adorable little way of hers. "Could you please…get some rest now?" she requested.

Syaoran blinked twice in confusion and was silent for a few seconds.

"A…Alright then." He agreed, leaning back on his elbows.

"Twelve." She murmured quietly.

"Eh?" the boy sat back up to look at her. "Twelve what?"

Sakura's eyes flicked down to the hand on her chest and his gaze followed hers.

"It's already beaten twelve times. Well…now actually twenty, and you said you'd do it in one." She smiled playfully at him and he did the same.

"My deepest apologies." He bowed his head.

"You're forgiven." She replied. "Now get some sleep."

"Right away, Hime."

"You're hopeless." She sighed.

"Sorry." Syaoran began to lie back on the rock but her tiny voice stopped him.

"No!" she refused. "Not like that. That would be so uncomfortable." She pulled her legs in and shifted into a kneeling position. "Here." She patted her lap with an expectant smile. Syaoran blushed.

"N-N-No! I-I couldn't possibly!" he blurted but instantly regretted not being able to control his tongue when a look of hurt crossed her expression. He mentally smacked himself for being so insensitive and stupid. "I-I mean, I didn't mean it that way, Sakura. It's just-" He fumbled for words as she looked back up at him, jade locking with amber. At last, the boy gave in to her. "Alright. You win."

He turned slightly so that he could rest his head in her lap, letting the soft material of her long pants mix with the warmth of her body. He could smell the faint scent of apples emitting off of her as his eyes looked up at the sky briefly from where he lay before they flickered quickly to the girl above him. Somehow, she looked even more beautiful from this angle, her face turned slightly away from him, her eyes gazing into some far-off world, her lips curved upward in a smile.

Syaoran snapped out of his little trance and back into reality when he felt a small, warm hand brush over his cheek. Sakura stroked his bangs soothingly, as though she were a mother trying to lull her child to sleep and stole a glance down at him.

"Sleep." She whispered, her soft fingertips running over his rough skin again.

"Yes, Sakura-Hime." She let it slide as his eyelids closed slowly, her beautiful face being the last thing he saw before slipping into slumber.

Sakura continued to stroke his hair and brush her fingers over his cheek. She resisted the urge to lean down and kiss his forehead lovingly, but it was no easy feat. He was so different now, so defenseless; a side of her she assumed not many other people, if any at all, had ever seen before. She felt very special in being able to see him in such a state, and she smiled sweetly down at him as he slept on.

The sun shifted overhead as an hour passed, and though Sakura was beginning to lose the feeling in her legs from staying in that position as long as she did, she patiently waited and remained still. She often looked up at the desserts surrounding them, but her main focus was the rare sleeping face of the boy before her. He seemed to be sleeping so peacefully that she almost hoped he would never wake up if it meant he could always be so happy. But her heart would not let her imagine him never being awake again and she shook off the thought.

Several more moments passed and Sakura twirled her fingers through his short hair, trying to find something to do to keep her from falling asleep as well.

Just then, a flicker of movement caught the corner of her eyes and she jumped slightly. Her soothing motions on Syaoran's face ceased immediately as both her hands flew to her mouth to cover it as she gasped.

A long, onyx-colored snake had slithered out of one of the clefts in the rock and was slowly moving toward them.

Panic overtook the girl as her mind raced, trying to think of what she should do.

"Syaoran!" she hissed under her breath, gently shaking his shoulders to try and wake him, but she did it slowly as to not attract the serpent's attention. "Syaoran! Wake up!" She shook him again.

He blinked open his eyes to see her frightened expression. Before she could inform him of the situation, he sat up quicker than a hare could run and turned to face her. "Hime! What's-" but he did not finish.

Everything happened so fast.

His swift movements had done the opposite of Sakura's intentions and attracted the interest of the snake. Startled and defensive, the reptile struck at Syaoran. But Sakura's body moved quicker than her mind could fathom and she shoved him away with all of her might.

Fangs met with the soft skin on her forearm and she let out a yelp of pain. She felt the small jaws constricting around her wrist before the snake let go and disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Pain erupted throughout Sakura's entire body and she screamed, grabbing her bleeding wrist tightly with her opposite hand.

"Sakura!" Shouting her name as he realized exactly what had just happened, Syaoran was kneeling at her side immediately. Bright scarlet blood trickled out from between her clasped fingers as she hunched over with agony, screaming again. A scorching sensation shot through her body as though her insides were on fire.

He took her in his arms as he raked his brain, desperately trying to think up something that he could do. But it was no use; Syaoran had never had to deal with snakebites before, because they were very uncommon. The shock of it all rendered him unable to move as well, and all he could manage to do was hold her.

Crimson liquid was spilling onto the dusty ground as Sakura writhed in pain. Sharp pangs blasted through her chest and assaulted her franticly pounding heart. With each beat, the throbbing and burning sensation became more and more powerful and her body convulsed. Every breath was shorter and more desperate than the previous one and she panted, gasping, trying to remember how to use her lungs, but those also seemed to be on fire and every time she used them it only cause her more pain.

"Sakura!" Syaoran called out to her again, but she could not reply; he was not even sure that she had heard him. He could feel her heart thundering madly against her ribcage and with the way her body shuddered he could not even begin to imagine what she must be going through. With every beat, came more pain and with every breath came less air. Tears were streaming down her face as her cries of agony were cut short by lack of oxygen.

"Sakura!" now his voice shook in terror and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as well. He held her tighter as her convulsions worsened. _It should be me!_ He wailed in his thoughts. _It should be me…_

The girl's heartbeats were now just intense waves of pain throbbing in her chest, so severe and powerful that Syaoran could hear them and feel them pounding through his own body.

After several moments of agonizing torture, Sakura's breathing finally began to fail her. Her pulse was dying rapidly, her eyelids closed and her tears stopped. _Sakura…After all we've been through together…after all this time…am I really going to lose you like _this_?_ He remembered a little over an hour ago when she had tackle-hugged him and even a short time after that when he rested his head in her lap, her fingers slowly flitting over his cheek…

But now she was still.

Her face was no longer twisted in pain, but the tears still dripped from her cheeks. Her skin was alabaster and the blood on her arm was cruelly red against it. Syaoran soon found tears spilling over his own cheeks as well as he hugged her tighter to his chest. "Sakura!" he whimpered. "Sakura…" he pressed his head against her chest and listened afraid to find her heart had already stopped. But a small, slow beat met his ear and he listened intently to make sure it was real. Hope swelled within him for a split second until he noticed the blood still dripping from her wrist. Tearing off a piece of his green cape, he quickly tied it around her wound.

Then, Syaoran found his senses again. _I have to get her help._ He had been so panicked before the thought had never even crossed his mind.

Lifting her weightless body bridal style into his arms he dashed off and prayed that moving her would not make the venom spread faster and cause her even more pain.

For now, he would just let himself believe that she was merely unconscious.

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Syaoran sat anxiously in a chair beside the bed his princess now lay in.

Yukito hovered over her, checking her pulse with a troubled expression on his face.

"Describe the snake again." He asked Syaoran.

"It was black and very long with a round head." He answered, his eyes still fixed on Sakura's pale face.

He had brought her back to the palace, since it was the closest place he could think of and he knew that Yukito's studies of the medical degrees would be sufficient. Touya was currently out, but had been sent for and as soon as he heard the news had departed for home immediately.

"Please tell me she'll be okay." Syaoran begged the silver-haired man. "It's all my fault for letting her get bitten and not getting her help sooner." His voice cracked.

"Now, now." The elder man spoke. "I'm sure she did this entirely on her own and without thinking to protect you. And I think we both know for a fact that she would be in even more pain than she is now if you had been the one bitten." Syaoran saw the truth beneath his words and knew it was true.

"But still, is she…?" he did not finished his sentence as the door to the room slammed open and a flustered Touya ran in.

"Sakura!" her older brother exclaimed as soon as he spotted her lying there, motionless on her bed. He glared angrily at Syaoran but before he could speak Yukito cut him off.

"Oou," he said calmly. "You know it wasn't his fault. Sakura did this on her own." The king gritted his teeth and let out a long sigh. "Yeah. You're right." He agreed, walking over to stand beside Sayoran. "Is she okay?" Yukito was silent as he placed a hand above her mouth to feel her breath. "You bastard." Touya growled. "I asked if she was alright!" he shouted.

"Please Oou, relax."

"_Relax? _" he bellowed, outraged. "You're telling me to _relax_? That's my little sister lying there!" a single tear brimmed in his eye but he did not allow it to fall.

"Just listen to what I have to say." Yukiko went on calmly. The other two were silent before they nodded for him to continue. "Sakura Hime was bitten by a Counterfeit snake."

"A Counterfeit?" Syaoran repeated.

"Yes. It's one of the very cruelest of animals we have here in Clow Country." He went on solemnly. "When it bites, it injects venom into the victim's bloodstream and leaves the wound bleeding." His eyes flickered down to Sakura's wrist, now properly bandaged. "But it is the cruelest of snakes because of what the venom does." He went on. "It causes the victim to feel all the pain and agony of a fatal bite, when in reality it does no harm to them."

It took a moment for the words to sink in before Syaoran finally straightened up as he realized what this meant.

Yukito went on. "It made her go through all the pain as though she had been bitten by a fatal poison, but it only made her body _think_ that. In actuality, the venom did nothing to her, but her mind made her believe that it did and therefore caused the horrible pain she felt. It made her believe that her lungs wouldn't work properly and that her veins were about to burst. But the symptoms have died away now, and all she needs is rest and recuperation." He finished.

Touya and Syaoran were weak with relief.

"That's good to hear." The king murmured. "I'm going to go lie down." He was obviously shocked beyond help from the favorable news. As he and Yukito exited the room he called out. "Oy, kid! Take care of her." Before the door closed and Syaoran was left alone with her.

"Sakura…" his voice was choked as he leaned forward over her bed. He carefully slid one arm under her shoulders and the other across her stomach. He pulled her body up to him in a loose hug before resting his head on her chest once again and was silent. He listened for the familiar sound and a small smile crossed his lips when he heard her heartbeat, as natural a rhythm as ever now. He heard the air swish in and out of her lungs as her chest rose and fell slightly.

Tears of joy filled his eyes and he just held her there, making sure this was real now. He needed to make sure that this was reality now and not some cruel illusion. He closed his eyes and just listened to her heartbeat, her breathing her small little whimpers as she slept. Her body was as warm and fragile as ever and he hugged her as tight as he dared to.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Syaoran felt her stir and he pulled back to look at her face. Her eyelashes fluttered open to reveal jade irises, staring confusedly up at him.

"Sy…Syaora…n?" her voice was divided and her tone was laced with enervation, but her smile was as wonderful as ever.

"Sakura…" relief laced his voice as he hugged her again, feeling her small, gentle arms wrapping gingerly around his neck as well.

"I was so…scared…" she breathed.

"I was terrified." He murmured. "I thought you'd never open your beautiful eyes ever again."

"Mm mm." She shook her head from side to side. "I was scared that you were going to get hurt." She clarified. "And then…and then I was scared…I wouldn't get to see you anymore…" several sobs interrupted her and shook her small body until she finally burst into tears. "Syaoran…" she wept, clinging desperately to him with no intentions of ever letting him go. "Syaoran…oh, Syaoran…"

She cried for a long time and all he could do was hold her and softly murmur her name to her over and over again.

"Sakura. I'm here. I'm here…It's okay…" he thought he would break her like a glass doll if he hugged her any tighter, but he did so anyway.

The sun began to set when Sakura finally let her arms fall away from him and she sniffed. Syaoran gently pulled away from her and sat back up in his chair, reaching forward and brushing her cheek with his fingers like she had done for him.

"Why did you do that?" he wondered, running his fingers through her soft silky hair.

"Well…" she sniffed as her voice wavered and tried again. "Well it's because you're always the one to get hurt." She gave him a tiny smile. "You always have to look after me and protect me. So…I have to protect you too, neh?"

Syaoran wanted to embrace her again and tell her fiercely to never do something like that ever again, but he refrained; she had been through enough pain, and he did not want to hurt her even more with such harsh words.

"Thank you." Was all he managed to say.

"I'll be protecting you too from now on." She promised softly. He nodded and reached forward, his hands finding hers. He gently covered her small hands with his own, brushing his fingers carefully over her injured wrist. He felt her pulse flicker slightly as she went on. "Syaoran…there's also something else…" she murmured.

"What is it, Hime?"

"You were doing so well up until now." She chuckled lightly. "But the other thing is…I wanted to ask you something."

"Anything you request." He bowed his head to her.

"Syaoran could…could you hold me again?" she asked.

Without hesitation, Syaoran wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her body up to him. She relaxed against him and let out a small sigh.

"One." She whispered, hugging him around the neck again.

"One what?" he pulled her closer.

"My heart only beat once this time." She told him softly. "You pass."

"I'm elated in knowing so, Sakura." He rested his head on her chest and listened to the rhythm of her heartbeat again.

They both closed their eyes and lay still in that position.

"Thank you, Syaoran…" she breathed.

"No." he corrected, hugging her closer still. "Thank _you_." He murmured back listening to the beats of her heart. "Thank you for just…being alive." He whispered.

Syaoran moved his face up to hers and they both opened their eyes to lock gazes. He kissed her cheek and she did the same as he leaned down, her lips brushing lightly against his skin. Then, he pecked her on the lips and she kissed back shyly.

The couple pulled apart quietly before returning to their prior positions, closing their eyes. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder and pulled him closer, resting her chin atop his hair from where his head lay on her chest. Their heart rates and synchronized and Syaoran slowed his breathing to match hers.

"I'll always be here protecting you." Sakura promised.

"As will I for you." Syaoran agreed.

With those final, loving words escaping their lips, the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms; an embrace they never intended to let go of.

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**A/N: Whewf! Sorry for all the suspense! '_'; But it had to be done! I really hope somebody enjoyed this! Yay for SakuRan!**

**Please review!**


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